Prospect Talent Score

Probability of Success

History

2008-09: Charlie Coyle played 5 games for the South Shore Kings of the EJHL, netting 2 goals and adding 7 assists for 9 points.

2009-10: In his first full season with the Kings, Coyle played in 42 games for that club. He scored 21 goals and added 42 assists for 63 points while picking up 50 penalty minutes. In 4 playoff games for the Kings, Coyle scored 2 goals and added 1 assist. Coyle received the John Carlton Award, which is given to the outstanding male athlete in a junior hockey program. Named the EJHL Rookie of the Year for 2009-10. Coyle is the nephew of former NHL player Tony Amonte. Drafted in the first round (28th overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks.

2010-11: Coyle skated in 37 of 39 games for Boston University as a freshman and represented the USA at the 2011 U20 World Junior Championship. Coyle was named Hockey East Rookie of the Year after scoring 7 goals with 19 assists and finished with an even plus/minus and 34 PMs. The Terriers finished third in Hockey East but did not receive an NCAA bid after falling to Northeastern in the Hockey East quarterfinals. In six games for third-place USA at the junior tournament Coyle scored 2 goals with 4 assists and was +1. The Wild acquired the rights to Coyle in a multi-player, draft day deal with San Jose in June 2011.

2011-12: Coyle skated in 16 games for Boston University as a sophomore before leaving school in December to join the Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL).. He scored 3 goals with 11 assists and was plus-seven with 20 penalty minutes for the Terriers. He competed at the 2012 U20 World Junior Championship, sharing the goal scoring lead for seventh-place USA at the WJC with Nick Bjugstad (4 each). He was was plus-two with 1 assist and 2 penalty minutes in six games. After skating for the United States, he played 23 regular season games for Saint John and scored 15 goals with 23 assists and was plus-23. The Sea Dogs finished with the QMJHL's best record and captured the playoff championship. Coyle was named the playoff MVP after scoring 15 goals with 19 assists and finishing plus-27 in 17 playoff games. In four games at the Memorial Cup he had 4 assists and was plus-four as Saint John finished 2-2 in the tournament; losing to QMJHL-rival Shawinigan in the semifinal game.

2012-13: Coyle had an impressive NHL debut after joining the Wild in February. After not registering a point in his first five games, he finished the year with 8 goals and 6 assists in 37 games and was +3 with 28 penalty minutes. Coyle was among the leaders in ice time for the Wild during the playoff series with Chicago, averaging 18 minutes and was -4 while registering 2 assists with 2 penalty minutes. Coyle began the year with Minnesota AHL affiliate Houston and in 47 games with the Aeros scored 14 goals with 11 assists and was -8 with 22 penalty minutes.

Talent Analysis

Coyle is a big body who does not back off from engagement but possesses a range of tools. He has good puck possession skill, decent speed, and a decent shot, and he is also a good puck distributor. Considering his rookie status, he did not look all that out of place on the Wild's top line.

Future

Coyle is a power forward with considerable upside. He is expected to be a top-six forward for the Wild, get more power play minutes, and should again be an effective NHL player although he is still gaining strength and confidence.

Photo: Johan Larsson is one of the many top prospects spending the 2012-13 season with the AHL's Houston Aeros. (courtesy of Juan DeLeon/Icon SMI)

The Wild is still in the midst of a controlled rebuilding process. While the team has added immediate help at the NHL level for some areas of deficiency, most notably an elite top-pairing defenseman in Ryan Suter, an underrated top-four defenseman in Tom Gilbert, and an all-star scoring winger in Zach Parise, a few barren years at the draft kept the team from contention recently. Very strong drafts in 2010 and 2011, punctuated by the trade for Charlie Coyle, have put the team in excellent shape to be contenders soon. The core might be able to take advantage of the NHL lockout to grow together at the AHL level. Part of the Minnesota mentality is knowing there is a long winter ahead to test for weaknesses. With luck, this group of prospects will emerge strong and battle-tested.

Photo: A leg injury will delay Mario Lucia's debut at Notre Dame, but the big winger has the potential to make an instant impact when he rejoins the team mid-season. (courtesy of Vincent Muzik/Icon SMI)

The Wild by design has its top prospects all scheduled to play professional hockey this season. Though obviously dependent on the quick resolution of labor strife at the NHL level, Mikael Granlund should be playing with the Wild while an excellent group of young players in Matt Hackett, Jonas Brodin, Charlie Coyle, Zack Phillips, Johan Larsson, Jason Zucker, and Brett Bulmer are presumably going to be playing with the AHL's Houston Aeros. The AHL as a whole will be be fun to watch this year. For Wild fans it is a glimpse of a promising future.

Photo: Emerson Etem may only be a rookie pro in 2012-13, but his elite speed and nose for the net could see him skating soon for an Anaheim team that was starved for offense last season. (courtesy of Paul Hebert/Icon SMI)

Forward prospects Emerson Etem and Charlie Coyle settle into the middle section of the ranking, but not for lack of talent. Both players lit up the CHL last season, Etem breaking the 60-goal mark for Medicine Hat in the WHL and Coyle using his size and quick hands to fit right in with the high-octane Saint John offense in the QMJHL.

Mikael Granlund will make his North American debut in 2012-13 following another year of international success and a top-ten finish in the SM-liiga scoring race. (courtesy of Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)

The Wild's system was bolstered again at the 2012 NHL Draft, with Red Deer defenseman Matt Dumba immediately jumping into the top five. While the team did not graduate many players last season, the team willingly parted ways with a few prospects that did not look to be part of the program going forward. None of the 2012 draftees are very close to cracking an NHL roster, but several have enough upside to be included here.

Photo: Acquired in a 2011 Draft day trade, forward Charlie Coyle is one of the top prospects for the Minnesota Wild and a key part of their future. (Vincent Muzik/Icon SMI)

The Minnesota Wild finished with a 35-36-11 record in 2011-12, well out of reach of the eighth and final playoff berth. Like in years past, the team struggled to produce goals at the NHL level and experienced various injuries to key players.